Music and Theatre Students Share the Stage with Tony Winner Alex Newell

Kean University music and theatre students took the stage with Alex Newell at Enlow Recital Hall on Kean’s East Campus, singing backup on a song at the Tony Award-winner’s recent Kean Stage concert.

Newell called the 19 students “my new friends” as they joined the performer on stage for the song The Human Heart from the Broadway musical Once on This Island at the October 6 concert.

“I hope I have passed on something to you today because I want you guys to replace me,” Newell told the students on stage.

“The experience was awesome,” said Marcus McPherson, of Union, a senior in Kean’s BFA Theatre Performance program who has been a fan of Newell since he was 11. 

Newell made history this year as the first openly non-binary performer to win a Tony, taking home the award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for their portrayal of Lulu in the hit musical Shucked. Newell debuted on Broadway as Asaka in the 2017 revival of Once on This Island and is well-known for their TV roles – Mo in Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist and Unique Adams in Glee.

The collaboration with Newell is the latest performance opportunity offered to Kean music, theatre and choral students through Kean Stage and Premiere Stages at Kean, which bring diverse performers, artists and plays to the University. In the past, students have performed in concert with Broadway stars Kelli O’Hara, Patti Lupone, Mandy Gonzalez and Javier Muñoz, had a master class with Tony winner Billy Porter, and more. The next opportunity will be a master class with deaf actor Lauren Ridloff in December.

“We look for ways to expose our students to professionals in their fields of study,” said Kean Stage Manager Steve Cochran. “When students rehearse and perform with stars like Alex Newell, it is an incredible learning experience for them.”

“Newell is an inspiration, and there is no experience quite like getting to learn from and work with a legend in your field,” said Rachel Carlson, DMA, Kean’s director of choral and vocal activities.

Each of the students was grateful for the opportunity that Kean provided.

“I love being a theatre major here at Kean. It gives us opportunities unlike any other to be able to perform with a Tony Award winner,” said Tiajah Elliott, a senior theatre education major from Linden. “It is honestly incredible, and I’m so glad I chose to go to school here.” 

The students rehearsed with Newell, who gave them advice on how to give their best performance. They took the lessons to heart.

“I learned a lot. We had to work as a team – everyone working together – and we had very little time to prepare,” said Samantha Pugliese, of Linden, a sophomore theatre student. “That's kind of how the professional world is.” 

“I learned to be confident in your talent and in your abilities as a singer and a performer,” said Eric Tayler, of Roxbury, a junior studying theatre performance. “And, whatever you do, just give it your all.”

Many of the students had family members in the audience. Jeo Camargo Ojeda, a sophomore music performance student from Elizabeth, had her mother and sister cheering them on.

“They've watched me grow up from being a super-shy person, and I just feel so great to be able to show them, hey, I can do this,” Ojeda said. “I'm starstruck because I love Alex. They're such an inspiration, especially as a non-binary person myself. Their winning the Tony opened the doors for people like me.”